My ETS EC 150/3 was finally delivered on Saturday, so I thought I'd post a few first impressions...
BTW, I purchased the 150/3 instead of the 150/5 because I've been building modern minimalist furniture using exotic veneers lately and I wanted a sander which was less aggressive on the veneers.
I'd like to qualify my comments by stating that this is my first Festool sander, so I can only compare it to my 18 year old DeWalt 5" ROS fitted with a Mirka Abranet base pad. I've been very happy with the Mirka Abranet abrasives, so I modified some 150 mm Mirka pad protectors to match the Festool 17 hole layout and fitted the ETS EC 150/3 with the hard (blue) base pad, the modified Mirka pad protector and some 120 grit Abranet.
My first test was on some dirty weathered scraps of Baltic birch ply I had. I have to admit, I was very surprised at the power of the 150/3. For a "less aggressive" sander, this bad boy definitely has some muscle. Within seconds, the surface was clean and new looking. Although the sander is actually heavier than I anticipated, I love the way it just glides over the surface - then I realized that I had forgotten to turn down the suction on my new CT 26 - it was set on MAX! Well, that was a surprise, I thought I was suppose to turn down the suction for a sander, but apparently, that's not necessary with the ETS EC models. BTW, the pad brake is awesome! Practically stops on a dime - no need for that "Sander Sitter" any more.
I didn't have as much time this weekend to use the sander as I would have liked to, but my first impressions are very positive. My only negative comment is that when you put the sander down with the hose attached, it doesn't balance on it's base pad. Fortunately, a small block of 2 by 4 under the hose solves that problem. I did have a little difficulty forcing the new 27 mm hose over the dust collection tube, but I'm guessing that will loosen up over time.
All in all, I'm very happy with the ETS EC 150/3 so far. I'm starting a new furniture project this week, so I'm anxious to see how it performs on veneer with the higher grit abrasives... [big grin]